UNIFIL Commander Pays Final Honors to Three TNI Soldiers Who Died

Force Commander (FC) - Head of Mission l UNIFIL Major General Diodato Abagnara led a memorial ceremony at the Lebanese Air Force Hangar in South Lebanon, Thursday (2/4/2026). (TNI Puspen)

JAKARTA - The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) paid the last respects to three TNI soldiers who died in a world peace mission in South Lebanon by holding a memorial ceremony.

"The ceremony was held on Thursday (2/4) local time at the Lebanese Air Force Hangar in Beirut, led directly by the Force Commander (FC)/Head of Mission l UNIFIL Major General Diodato Abagnara," wrote UNIFIL, quoted in the statement of the TNI Puspen received in Jakarta, Friday.

The honor was given to Major Inf Anumerta Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, Serka Anumerta Muhammad Nur Ichwan and Kopda Anumerta Farizal Rhomadhon.

The memorial ceremony was also attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia (Ambassador of RI) to Lebanon and the ranks of the Indonesian Embassy, the Indonesian Defense Attaché (Athan) in Cairo, representatives of the United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ) in New York, as well as Lebanese military elements and international contingents.

The military ceremony procession was carried out in full, starting with the opening, delivery of the coffin to the ceremony area, reading a brief history, prayer, to the posthumous award of the United Nations (UN) and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) honorary medals.

The series of ceremonies continued with the laying of wreaths by UNIFIL officials, Indonesian representatives, and the Lebanese military, the mandate of officials, military honors, silence, and the return of the bodies.

As an additional form of respect, the Force Commander of UNIFIL symbolically attached the UN scarf to the coffin and conveyed his condolences directly to all Indonesian contingents present.

The ceremony also involved elements of joint forces, including one infantry platoon-level unit and the Lebanese Military Police, corps elements, and Garuda Contingent (Konga) forces.

In its official statement, UNIFIL expressed its appreciation for the dedication of the three soldiers who died while on duty on March 29 and 30, 2026 in southern Lebanon.

In the statement, it was conveyed that the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres and the United Nations Security Council emphasized the importance of protecting all peacekeepers.

"UNIFIL also expresses its deepest condolences to the families, colleagues, and all affected soldiers," UNIFIL wrote.

Previously, three TNI personnel on a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission were reported to have died while on duty in Lebanon in March 2026.

Based on TNI data, those who fell were Head Soldier Farizal Rhomadhon, Sergeant First Class Muhammad Nur Ichwan, and Captain (inf) Zulmi Aditya Iskandar.

Fahrizal died as a result of an indirect artillery attack near Adchit Al Qusayr, southern Lebanon, Sunday (29/3). Meanwhile, Nur Ichwan and Zulmi died due to vehicle explosions near Bani Haiyyan, Monday (30/3).